Posts Tagged ‘American Politics’

I was on facebook this morning and just checking in on my ‘friends’ and seeing what they are up to. Really it was a delay to the inevitable beginning of a Monday at work. As I was skimming through the latest posts I noticed a lot of the kids from the youth group posting comments about the passage of the health care bill. Now I can remember being a high school student and voicing my opinions on different topics and I think that is a great way to encourage the excersicing of one’s political rights in this great country. The thing that concerned me was when some of the posts were getting hateful, and insulting, and just really petty. And those weren’t just the kids, unfortunately there were several adults that were posting very immature thoughts.

Okay for the record I was not for the health care reform. Did I contact my appointed representatives, yes. Did I contact them several times, yes. Am I scared and disappointed that it passed, yes. But….. and you knew there had to be one…..I am going to try and show a little maturity.

I work with a lot of kids and for whatever reason many of them look at me as role model, why I have no idea. But they do. And because they do I have an obligation to show a little maturity. Maturity as an American and maturity as a Christian.

As an American I excercised my right when it came time to vote for a president, when it came time to vote for representation on the state and federal level. However my votes were in the minority and in some of the cases the majority. But because my votes were not the consesus does not give me the right to pick apart my leaders, with slander, and hateful comments. I can not proclaim the great American democratic process then tear it apart when it does give me what I want. That would be incredibly childish. This wonderful country gives me the right to vote, to excersie my opinion and beliefs. But when I don’t get my way I don’t get to throw a temper tantrum. I even heard stories of people wanting to fly their flags at half mast because they are that disappointed in the vote from yesterday.

As a Christian I have to remember even more than that in my excersie of democracy. One is that God did not give me the right to vote, the American democratic system did. No where does the Bible give me the right to vote and freedom of speech, or anything. That is a privelege that I have been given by being born in this country where that privelege was secured by the blood of many men and women. That I have to remember and keep separate. But the second thing that I have to remember is that the Bible does tell me to respect and obey those who are put into authority over me. Doesn’t say I have to agree with what they do, or even like what they do, but I do have to respect them as appointed by God.

So what example do we set for the next generation? Is it one of immaturity or maturity. When we don’t get our way do we throw temper tantrums and create facebook groups like down with the democrats, or something like that. I hate to tell you this but we all excercised our given rights as Amercian citizens. The chips fell down and no matter where you stood on the issue it is done. It has passed. Am I scared of what it will mean, sure. But even in my worry or fear I will set an example that has faith first and foremost in my God, because He is bigger than any government or bill or law. And secondly in the faith of the American system. That if something works then we approve it. And if it doesn’t then we as the people pass laws to change systems that aren’t working. Sound familiar?

Show a little maturity when you demonstrate your views on the new healthcare practices. The next generation of Christians and Americans are watching, and following our lead.